Mardi Gras turns to Fasching in Minden

Downtown Development director Pattie Odom says people have been wanting to celebrate the town's German heritage -- and realized that Germany has its own Carnival celebration, called Fasching (FAH-shing).

Minden Main Street has sponsored the town's Mardi Gras parade for 14 years.

The Minden Press-Herald reports that the Minden Germantown Festival Commission, represented by Odom, got a $410,000 grant for startup costs for the Minden Fasching Karneval and Parade planned for Feb. 19.

Odom says next year's celebration will be even bigger. She says that, according to German tradition, Fasching begins at 11:11 a.m. on Nov. 11, and runs until Ash Wednesday.